


What The Storm Brings

by FactorialRabbits



Series: In A World We Must Defend - Pokemon D/P/Pt tgcf au [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions, 天官赐福 - 墨香铜臭 | Tiān Guān Cì Fú - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù
Genre: Blood, Exhaustion, Feelings, Ghosts, Grief/Mourning, Injury, Past Character Death, Pre-Relationship, Psychic Bonds, Violence, and this isn't plot at all, but mostly its about, but not in the way you expect, but xie lian has yet to do the plot and fix the rift over mount coronet, just a guy looking after his dead friend's pokemon, sort of pre-platinum setting, the ecological disaster has happened, this is like the latter middle of an au that don't otherwise exist on paper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:26:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26397868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FactorialRabbits/pseuds/FactorialRabbits
Summary: Five years after Shi Wudu's death, Pei Ming still cares for his beloved Pokemon. He takes some of them to Lake Acuity, where things are not quite what they seem.
Relationships: Pei Ming/Shi Wudu
Series: In A World We Must Defend - Pokemon D/P/Pt tgcf au [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2028207
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	What The Storm Brings

**Author's Note:**

> So in theory this is part of an au, which began as the brainchild of actualflower, which I then ran with too far. The 'powerful' tgcf characters (gods and significant ghosts) have bonds to the various legendary Pokemon. Being bonded to a legendary disqualifies you from the Pokemon league and gives you a load of responsibilities about protecting the planet. This is mostly set in Sinnoh, though has later Pokemon too.
> 
> I think PM explains most of the context needed to understnd this. TLDR: the three tumours are bonded to the lake trio - or were. 5 years ago they were involved in Girantina opening the ecological disaster rift over Sinnoh, in a trying to stop it way. Girantina killed SWD in the fighting. It was a slow and painful death, and PM as the first aider was the one trying to keep him alive. And failed. The lake trio were also horribly injured, sharing the backlash from Azelf's partner's death between them to all survive. Xie Lian and Hua Cheng, who deal with the actual plot, then swept in to get things under control if not fixed. Fixed would be a later plot, in probably XL and HC's hands. This however... all you really need to know is SWD died horribly, PM looks after his pokemon as well as his own, and he retired from his previous job to live where route 216 and 217 meet, in the depths of the snowstorm, where he rescues pokemon and trainers alike.
> 
> Later plot would be for xl and hc to fix the rift but honestly I'm likely to stick in side characters if i write more.
> 
> Ghosts exist, as is implied, um... IDK. I think that's all you need to know, but no idea. Have fun?
> 
> have made it a series incase you're interested in more, so there's something to subscribe to, but not sure if other bits will or will not ever appear. Ideas easy, writing hard.

Dawn was beginning to break over Lake Acuity. This late in the winter, and so north in Sinnoh, it was already nearly noon. Ice floated in the lake, snow continued to fall, and the local Pokemon were, for the most part, sheltering from the eternal storm.

Not the local humans, however; Pei Ming, twenty seven and feeling every moment of his age acutely, sat by the exit back towards route 217. For five long years, each dragging out more than the last, he had come here at least one morning a week. Every other visit or so, Ling Wen would join him, checking on Uxie while he patrolled the shore; this was not one of those weeks. He missed when her visits were more frequent - for all his house had eleven Pokemon, and frequent children on their gym challenge taking shelter from the snowstorm as they journeyed north, it was a lonely place. She was visiting that evening, but how long would it take for her to come again? Two weeks? Three? Four months?

Scizor, his partner of over twenty years, sat next to him, wings buzzing as he ate a razz berry. His Arcanine lingered nearby, napping where he should have been checking for danger. Under two pairs of watchful eyes, a Lapras, a Dewgong and a Milotic played in the waters of the lake, while an uncommonly small Litten made his home in Pei Ming’s lap.

It was for the sake of the three water types that he came so far so often; while the home he had carved himself in the depths of the storm did have a reasonably sized pool made of a spring, it was better for them to have the space to properly dive and play.

Not that the Pokemon that had once been Shi Wudu’s played exactly, but the point remained; do not separate water Pokemon from the wider waters too long.

Watching them, and with only his lap warmed by a fire type Pokemon, Pei Ming pulled his jacket closer about him and pulled his scarf, one piece of white-blue against the reds and blacks of his preference, up over his nose.

The snow continued to fall; it had done so for over five years without a moment’s break. Five years since the rift opened in the sky; five years since Pei Ming had left his sanctuary on the shores of Lake Verity in another’s hands; five years since Pei Ming took responsibility for Shi Wudu’s Pokemon.

Five years since Pei Ming’s best friend had bled to death beneath his hands.

Dewgong seemed yelped, and Pei Ming snapped from his thoughts to check on her; Milotic was huffing in a way that suggested he knew he had done wrong, while Lapras glared between the two.

With a sigh - he could not see any blood, and they rarely had actual fights, but Pokemon were Pokemon all the same - he lifted the Litten, and placed him carefully between Arcanine’s claws.

Arcanine opened one lazy eye to look at his master, before drifting down to the Litten, then going back to Pei Ming.

“He’s your son,” Pei Ming pretended his exasperation. “Look after him while I deal with them over there.”

Arcanine growled a little, but it was not a threatening noise; he adjusted his position, bringing the Litten closer, before going back to his nap.

Knowing that would be fine - for all Pei Ming had gifted Shi Wudu the infant Litten nearly fifteen years ago, both his Arcanine and his Incineroar were attached to their son - he turned to deal with the other three.

“Thank you, Lapras,” he gestured all three of them over. “Watch Milotic while I check Dewgong for me?”

Seemingly pleased to have command where usually he was the least of his group, Lapras glared at Milotic. Pei Ming then moved to Dewgong’s side, checking for any injury. Finding none, he shooed her back to play, before checking over Milotic in turn.

Just as he finished, about to reward Lapras for being the one one to behave, he heard both a loud growl and an increase in buzzing behind him.

Quickly, Pei Ming turned; both Arcanine and Scizor were on their feet, and the Litten running off into the undergrowth.

“Fuck.” 

The Litten - Little Pei, Shi Wudu had called him, though Pei Ming himself foreswore the name - was always inclined towards trouble. He did not have time for this today; he had to get back and get the house looking human before Ling Wen visited for dinner, and judge his life choices. Being caked in the mud Litten would surely find would not help his case.

He threw his pack back over his shoulder, and moved towards where the Pokemon had fled.

“Litten!” Pei Ming called, knowing it was most likely fruitless. “Litten, please come back!”

The Pokemon did not even look back as he continued running through the undergrowth. Pei Ming ran a hand through his hair, looking desperately at his own Pokemon. Arcanine and Scizor both looked between each other, the pokemon playing in the lake, and Pei Ming himself.

“Right. You two stay, look after those three. You three, behave yourselves,” he ran the hand through his hair again, snagging his fingers on the ribbon holding up his ponytail. Then, the hand moveh to claw over his face. Once, twice, three times.

He could not comprehend ever releasing Shi Wudu’s precious Pokemon, nor sending them to live with someone else, but sometimes they were a pain in the ass. Just like the man himself had been, really.

Arcanine nudged him slightly, in the direction in which the Litten had run off. It did not take any more gesturing for him to run off after the little bugger. Still… He could bare to leave no Pokemon if it were in trouble and, even if the Litten were not, it had been the dearest of all Shi Wudu’s spoilt children. He had not even let the little one walk on the ground himself, when he had been alive; how could Pei Ming not spoil him the same?

Into the long grass and the woods he walked.

“Litten! Please, where are you? Where have you gone?” he called, as he searched through the undergrowth for the mischief maker. It took a little while before he gave up and started using the Pokemon’s name. “Little Pei!”

The Litten still did not respond. Getting worried, Pei Ming whistled for Scizor to join him. It would not be an instant thing - he did not denote the call as urgent - but better safe than sorry. 

And then, he started walking and calling once more.

He searched and searched, and began to ponder as to if the Litten had somehow gotten lost; the lakefront of Lake Acuity was only so big, after all.

Or, maybe, Pei Ming was the lost one?

No time for existentialism; Pei Ming pushed the thought aside, wondered what was taking Scizor so long, and continued his search.

“Litten! Little Pei! Where are you?”

After a little while, he heard a yelp; heart sinking, Pei Ming ran towards it.

Ran, ran, sprinted, ran-

The scene that greeted him he never wished to see again; a Froslass, wild if he was not much mistaken, pinning the tiny Litten to a tree with icy claws barely missing tearing into his flesh.

“Little Pei!” he called for the Pokemon, before realising he would still never be obeyed if he tried to give command.

Both of them looked at him; Little Pei took the Froslass’ distraction to escape into the trees, while she turned on Pei Ming.

Shit.

He whistled again, for an emergency this time, and prayed Scizor was close enough to hear; he had left his Pokemon beyond those two at home, so he had space to bring Shi Wudu’s out to play. Usually it would be fine, but that stupid Litten-

The Froslass, having sized up her prey, let forth a flurry of ice. Years of working with scared and wild Pokemon had taught Pei Ming to dodge well enough to escape most things with his life, but only just. 

He moved, he felt the ice hit, and he turned to assess the damage. One foot was now frozen in place, and one arm was pinned to the nearby tree by a sharpened icicle through both sleeve and flesh. It was not much of his flesh, but it hurt like a bitch and the voice of experiences said that moving would only make it worse.

The Froslass made to attack again; pinned as he was, there was now no way for Pei Ming to dodge. He covered his face with his free arm, and  _ screamed  _ down the strange bond he still had to Mespirit. His partner was unlikely to be able to come, weakened by the events of calamity as it was, but at least  _ someone  _ would know. Maybe Uxie would be told, then Ling Wen, and his corpse found still recognisable.

He yelled, and braced, and flinched as ice shot through the air once more.

The pain never came.

The growl with his rescue was familiar, but the warmth of Arcanine pressed against his side was what caused him to finally look up. The large fire type was using its natural heat to melt away the entrapping ice, and trying to warm the rest of him too. Nearby, he could see Scizor fluttering between icy beams and flying shards, darting in and out to distract the Froslass - to protect his master from the wild Pokemon. 

As soon as he was free from the ice, Pei Ming pressed a compress from his pouch to the wound in his arm. In the time it took for him to do that, his Pokemon had switched; Arcanine took up the aggressive position, whilst Scizor positioned himself firmly between Pei Ming and harm once more.

His heart swelled a little to know both of them came, though the back of his mind worried as to what trouble Shi Wudu’s water types were pursuing without supervision.

Not to mention, the runaway Litten.

“Alright, Arcanine,” Pei Ming fussed over Scizor as he spoke, fruitlessly trying to reassure his eldest friend that all was well enough. “Flame Wheel; and try and use it to keep her in place.”

It was not a standard technique, and would have disqualified him from any league, but Pei Ming’s dreams of the championship died fifteen years ago on Mount Coronet. Now, he was merely a bleeding heart, working to rescue and assist injured Pokemon - wild or otherwise, finding homes for those whose owners no longer could care for them, rescuing kids who got lost in the violent, constant snowstorms between the Mountain and Snowpoint City…

Arcanine did exactly as he was told, trapping the Froslass safely over there, and melting any further projectiles she attempted to send. While the situation was not yet resolved, Pei Ming relaxed. Scizor still remained firmly between him and the ghost Pokemon, but the situation was now under their control.

“Hello, ma’am,” Pei Ming grinned at her, despite the pain in his arm and suffocating numbness in his leg. “Please forgive this one for trespassing in your territory; as soon as I have retrieved the Litten you saw earlier, I will be sure to leave. Both of us shall, and I will be sure to punish him.”

Pei Ming is not really sure how or if he could genuinely punish Little Pei, but blood had been drawn; he would at least try.

The Froslass huffed in response - clearly she had some experience with human language, though that was not so surprising in a ghost type - and continued trying to melt the flames around her.

Pei Ming tried to approach her. His frozen leg buckled under his weight; Scizor jumped to catch him before he fell, the shell bell around his neck tinkling softly in response.

“I’m alright,” he tried to reassure, only to receive frustrated, worried chittering in reply. “It’ll heal up fine.”

‘Probably’ was a word he thought it best not to add. From the looks of this, his companion added it anyway.

Scizor moved again, the bell chiming once more. One pincer clamped tightly onto Pei Ming’s arm, over the wound. Pei Ming, in turn, let go of it. He received a little pleased chittering in response; rewarding Scizor with a small pat distracted him long enough that the reason for Arcanine’s deepening growl was not immediately apparent.

When he noticed, Pei Ming looked up.

There, standing beneath the treeline, was a… familiar figure. Black hair trailed towards the ground, limp and scattered as any horror film ghost. Dressed almost all in white, shirt torn and stained in still-oozing blood, it would have been very easy to mistake him for one. Only blue trainers spoilt the look, and yet they were mostly hidden, too.

He was either hallucination or ghost, but Pei Ming could not find it anywhere within himself to say it was a bad thing.

Because, even if he could not yet see the piercing blue eyes hidden by hair, nor heard him speak, if the clothes were too torn to recognise and hair long torn from its arrangement, the way the ghost held Little Pei was unbearably familiar.

“Shuishi-xiong?” Pei Ming asked, voice shaking as he did.

His head moved up, those ice blue eyes cutting straight into Pei Ming’s soul, “Pei-xiong, I assume this is somehow your fault?”

Pei Ming’s lips quivered as he attempted to smile, joy quickly morning into a flood of tears.

Shi Wudu, for all a ghost he was, scoffed. At him, at the situation, at something. He said something to the Froslass, causing her to relax; after a little while, Arcanine backed down too. She moved to Shi Wudu’s side, and suddenly Pei Ming matched their expressions to one another.

Overwhelmed tears became equally desperate laughter, even as Arcanine prodded at his side and echoing  _ concern _ finally rippled down his bond with Mespirit. He returns his elation, his grief, and all the complicated feelings of both having Shi Wudu back, and knowing he is not at peace, and hopes that Mespirit understands. Or, fails to understand, then uses their bond with Uxie to summon Ling Wen.

Pei Ming did not think he had the strength to explain this to her, whatever this turned out to be.

Shi Wudu continued staring, gaze disproving as ever as he stroked over Little Pei’s fur. Stood, stroked, waited as he always did for Pei Ming to get ahold of himself.

“Ninetails is resting back at my place,” Pei Ming finally got enough control of himself to speak. “Milotic, Dewgong and Lapras are nearby. They missed you.”

_ I missed you  _ went unspoken, and yet not uncommunicated as Pei Ming stepped close enough for Shi Wudu to take his hand.

Shi Wudu did exactly that, calculation in his eyes as he did. The hand was cold, somehow colder than Froslass’ ice, and yet not unpleasant at all. If you asked Pei Ming in that moment, he would have been able to think of no greater sensation in the world.

Pei Ming squeezed that hand.

Shi Wudu squeezed back.

“Show me, Pei-xiong,” Shi Wudu finally spoke.

And what could Pei Ming do but oblige?

**Author's Note:**

> Teams and Characters referenced:
> 
> Pei Ming. Bonded to Mespirit, ie emotion. Pokemon appearing here: Scizor, Arcanine. Rest of his team: Mienfoo, Incineroar, Lopunny, Weavile (named Shuishi after swd)  
> Shi Wudu. Ghost. Formally bonded to Azelf, ie willpower. Bond broke on his death. Pokemon appearing here: Litten (Little Pei), Lapras, Dewgong, Milotic, Froslass (yet to get a Pokeball). Rest of his team: Alolan Ninetails (currently napping at Pei Ming's house)  
> Ling Wen. Bonded to Uxie, ie knowledge. Did not appear. Have yet to work out her usual team.


End file.
